Sep. 13—MADISON, S.D. — The University of Jamestown football team is heading to Dakota State University for its first North Star Athletic Association game of the season trying to get the first win of the campaign.
The Jimmies and Trojans will play their first game against each other since 2017 at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Trojans’ Dan Beacom Track and Soccer Complex.
“Our expectations haven’t changed,” Jimmies head coach Brian Mistro said. “Our guys need to go out and play our game of football. We’ve had a better week of practice, offensively and defensively. We’ve done a lot of good on good to mimic the speed of a varsity game. So I think our guys are prepared and they’re ready to go and their mindset is right. Our expectation is to go out there and take it one play at a time and keep stacking wins. If we stack winning plays then obviously we’ll look up at the scoreboard at the end.”
The Jimmies are heading into the game with an 0-2 record after a 17-10 loss to Chadron State University on Sept. 5.
“Our guys didn’t give up,” Mistro said. “Our resiliency is high. There wasn’t a ton of frustration on the sideline. We were in the fourth quarter and we have a chance to win the game still. Our guys are fighting, our guys are clawing and I don’t think anybody really gave us a chance in that game and to be honest with you to have the showing that we had was good for our guy’s psyche and their confidence but I don’t believe in moral victories. We gotta go out and win the game.”
The Trojans are coming off a 41-25 win over Nebraska Wesleyan University on Sept. 7.
“A confident squad. They won their first two games convincingly for the most part,” Mistro said. “They’re playing really high on confidence. It’s homecoming, I believe that it’s senior day, a brand new stadium. They have everything going in their direction and it’s our job to spoil that fun.”
This season, the Jimmies’ offense is averaging 215.5 yards per game and 8 points per game. This week, Mistro said his offense needs to step up and make big plays when the team needs them.
“We played two pretty good defenses,” Mistro said. “I think that’s part of it and being able to take what the defense gives you has been the mentality going the first couple weeks. We knew Chadron was gonna be a heck of a squad and running the ball. We wanted to manage the time, we wanted to run the ball. Sometimes, it might’ve looked like we were running into a brick wall but we wanted to manage the clock. We didn’t want to turn the ball over … We knew we’re gonna be in a rock fight. So part of it is getting back to what we do and getting the ball in our playmakers’ hands a little better. I think that’s the game plan going into this week, let our guys go make plays.”
Through the season’s first two games, the Jimmies have used two quarterbacks — Johnny Grann and Nick Martinez — with the duo combining for 320 passing yards, zero touchdowns and four interceptions.
“We’ve just been put on the back foot and playing like we’re on the back foot. We’re not attacking them very well,” Grann said. “I think as a quarterback room, me and Nick need to be a little better with everything we’re doing and operating the offense and keeping everybody going and everyone on the attack.”
Mistro said he has not made a decision on who will be the starting quarterback against the Trojans.
“I just gotta keep being good with my eyes and my reads and focus on certain throws that are probably gonna be there in the game so that I can perform well on Saturday,” Grann said.
The Jimmies have used two different punters this season — Ethan Lieb and Brooks Butt. Mistro said he will continue to use both players as it keeps the other teams off balance and they complement each other well. The Jimmies have had to punt 14 times for 447 yards and an average of 31.9 yards per punt.
The Trojans’ defense is practicing a bend-but-not-break approach through their first two games of the season, giving up 292.5 yards per game but only 14 points per game.
On the other side of the ball, the Jimmies defense is giving up 267.5 yards and the team is allowing 20 points per game. The Jimmies defensive unit has had success forcing turnovers this year with four interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
The Jimmies’ defense has been led by Mason Parker’s 19 tackles and Jed Rantz’ 16 tackles.
“I would say just playing together, trusting that everyone has a job to do in our defense and trusting that everyone has a job and a responsibility to do in our defense, and doing it to the best of our ability and just rallying to the ball, making sure we can get turnovers for our offense and keep playing together,” Rantz said.
One challenge that the Jimmies defensive unit will have to face is the fact that Trojans quarterbacks are throwing for 11.3 yards per completion.
“I would say that we just have to make sure that we’re sound in our coverages, making sure that we know the situation, down and distance, when we think they’re gonna take a big shot or not,” Rantz said. “For DBs (defensive backs) and safeties I’m not really not worried about them, I know when push comes to shove they’re gonna get it done and I trust them wholeheartedly. The same with our D-line (defensive) getting to the quarterback and making sure he doesn’t have enough time to throw it that far.”
